Lakes

Beach in Augustów

The municipal beach in Augustów lies on Lake Necko, right where the Netta river leaves the lake — the same river that further on turns into the Augustów Canal. Founded in 1557 and named after King Sigismund Augustus, the town sits among seven lakes and has made Necko its summer showcase.

On the beach and by the water

The sandy shore on Zarzecze street comes with full facilities: changing rooms, toilets and a car park beside the beach. Its landmark is a wooden pier laid out along the meridian, which serves strollers and sunbathers and at the same time marks the boundary of the guarded swimming area. Next door there is a water-sports rental, a water-ski lift and a karting track.

Necko and its Yotvingian roots

Necko is a glacial ribbon lake; its name comes from the Yotvingian word methis, meaning to throw, with medieval records listing forms such as Metensehe (1402) and Nyeczko (1515). Roughly 70% of the shoreline is forested. To the north the lake connects through the Klonownica — regarded as the shortest river in Poland and listed in the Guinness Book of Records — with Lake Białe. A lit promenade and a bike path run along the shore, and cruise boats sail the route of the Augustów Canal, a Historic Monument since 2007. The lake gave its name to the minesweeper ORP Necko in 1989.